Super Fuzz

consider myself a snobbish shaman when it comes to filmy knowledge. When I speak on motion pictures, the words flow from my body as if medicines and elixirs intoxicated me. Be it the opus Zapped! or the classic Killer Klowns from Outer Space, I pride myself on bringing to illumination the forgotten masterpieces of cinema. I bark obscure film knowledge. That is why I am praising the likes of one of the top ten most overlooked films of the early 1980s: Super Fuzz aka Super Snooper aka Poliziotto superpiù.

This comedy, live action, sci-fi/fantasy and action/adventure film even made it to my coveted top 25 Movie Moments list:

19.) The super powers of Officer Dave Speed…Dave becomes able to move objects with the mind force, discover mysterious crimes, jump with no problem from a skyscraper and blow a massively huge bubble from one piece of gum to save he and his friends from a sunken ship. Like most heroes, there is a weakness…the color red. (Super Fuzz, 1980)

This film was a force on late night HBO during my hazy childhood. It played everyday and night. I recorded it on VHS and watched it religiously along with the above-mentioned Zapped!

Super Fuzz was a superhero like no other. Behold his powers! He makes all the people in the Orange Bowl (tens of thousands of people!) disappear into the unknown reaches of time and space with but a thought! The physics and theories behind these mind force powers have serious implications and are staggering. I only aspire to have such mind force powers.

I recently acquired a mint condition vinyl recording of the film's catchy and amazingly plentiful disco theme song 'Super Snooper' by The Oceans:

'He's a super-snooper, Really super-trooper!'

That Ernest Borgnine made the film even better as Sgt. Willy Dunlop.

It is mandatory viewing for any serious student of film. 'Super, Super!'

Cast:

Terence Hill as Dave Speed, Ernest Borgnine as Sgt. Willy Dunlop, Joanne Dru as Rosy Labouche, Marc Lawrence as Torpedo, Julie Gordon as Evelyn

Sergio Corbucci directed Super Fuzz.

Others have covered the plot here. I'll try to give you an idea of why I think you should or should not watch this baby. Like many others here, I first saw this movie on HBO in 1982 as a six or seven year-old. The one-quarter of us in my first-grade class who had HBO at that time all loved this movie. I remember playing Super Fuzz myself and running around the house until I saw the color red - then I'd slow down and fall to the ground or take a dive into our big couch. When we were on first grade recess we used to stand in a circle of three and re-enact the "You try to slap him, but you duck real fast. Now you try to slip him, but you try to slap him and you try to duck..." etc. Meanwhile, Dave Speed (what a true action hero name!) is eating the flowers while the original soundtrack playing in the background resembles the music from the Candyland commercials on TV! Holy friggin' crap, some mad genius wrote this. He's eating the flowers!!!! I loved this movie. And as it was an afternoon staple of the HBO line-up at the time, I must have seen it 15 times. When I was about 13 this movie came on late-night TV after I hadn't seen it for about six years. I remembered this film as a pure gem and stayed up to watch it. But seeing it again at the beginning of my adolescence (and it being around 1988 now) I found it to the worst piece of crap I'd ever wasted my sweet time on. I wished I was back at my grandfather's funeral, it was so painful to sit through. To think that I once enjoyed this film made me almost hate who'd I'd been when I was 7. Now in my late 20s my opinion has softened. I even enjoy this film now. The "super super" early 80's synthesized voices in the background are hokey and fun. The plot is light, enjoyable and not that important. They don't make 'em like this anymore, and you ought to know that going in. A child today seeing this may scoff at the special effects. Effects? I think it was all just camera tricks. I'm not sure how to rate this one from 1 to 10. I'm not even sure if some of the scenes I laugh at were intended to be funny in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way or not. Like the clothing of three "thugs". But if you are a fan of early 80s cheese, and particularly if you were a kid in the early 80s, then check this one out - if you can find it!

This movie is very funny, i did not know that Terence Hill can be so funny without Bud Spencer. He is playing a cop who becomes a super cop through red colored radiation (dont ask me what that means) It takes time till he notices that he has super powers but his super power comes and goes without a reason. Actually he gets the reason in the middle of the movie. I am not gonna tell it, just go and watch it. Its very absurd in a funny way. You will like it and laugh no matter how absurd it becomes. The scene at the beginning where he is in the jail as he waits for his execution. he is so cool... he eats beans all the time =) i liked it. I could find 1000 jokes in this movie and write it here but you would better watch it! the music is also good...

The last time I saw Super Fuzz had to be about 15 years ago. That was probably the 50th time I had seen it. Even though it has been a while since I've seen Super Fuzz, I remember that it was a movie I was fond of and probably will always be fond of. It was about a police officer that acquired super powers by witnessing a nuclear explosion. Sure, it wasn't that original and it was a bit comic bookish, but that is not what made the movie. What made the movie is what he did with his new found super powers that he lost whenever he saw the color red. Oh this movie was hilarious. He did one silly thing after another with his powers all the while he annoyed the heck out of his partner. This was an excellent family movie that was just plain funny. The actors chosen for the main characters were a perfect fit and the story just flowed. I give Super Fuzz high marks, it is a must see.

i could not with a good conscience give this film a 10, but 8 is fair. when i saw this movie again since about twenty years ago, i was elated. i remember bits and pieces of this movie, especially the music, and the voice "super snooper", i remember like yesterday being a little boy looking at this flick, and being amazed that Dave Speed caught that bullet in his mouth, WOW! this movie came up in a conversation with one of my co-workers Mike. and he gave me the name of this movie that i could not for the life of me remember. when i found out it was coming out again in February, i waited patiently and ordered it immediately. this movie is so cool, i love it. this is definitely a classic and should not be forgotten.